Slingshot, beanshooter, or beanie



July 1943- w. G. DONALDSON 2,324,201

SLINGSHOT BEAN-SHOOTER, 0R BEANIE Filed Aug. 7,1941

Patented July 13, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SLINGSHOT, BEANSHOOTER, OR, BEANIE \Verner G. Donaldson, Independence, Mo.

Application August '7, 1941, Serial No. 405,833

1 Claim. (01. 124-20) This invention relates to devices for the P pulsion of small spherical objects through the air, and has for its object to produce a device of the character indicated, of simple and economical construction, whereby an object, such as a shot or bullet or equivalent object of proper size and substantial weight, can be nicely aimed and accurately propelled in a straight line for direction, or in an are for distance, without deviation laterally, provided of course, the projectile is shot through relatively quiet air.

Specifically, the invention resides in the provision of a relatively soft rubber holder, having a bore of cylindrical form for retaining a spherical object by conforming to and contacting with the circumference thereof at its point of greatest diameter, so that as the object is expelled it is not caused to spin or revolve, and hence will travel in a straight line. The invention resides also in the use a tab in fixed relation to the elastic strip, hereinafter mentioned and identified, the tab being disposed rearward of the object holder, and standing vertically in a, plane coincident with that of the longitudinal center of the bore of the holder.

The invention consists in combining the novel features of construction set forth in the preceding paragraph, with other well-known features of sling-shot character, as hereinafter described and claimed, and depicted by the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a sling shot embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a central, vertical longitudinal section of the elastic element (partly broken) and of part of the handle element of the invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, with special reference to Figures 1-2, I indicates holes provided in thickened ends 2, of a rubber or equivalent elastic strip, folded or doubled at its middle to provide a pair of long arms 3, and an arm-connecting bridge 4. The latter, midway its length, i formed with a forwardly-projecting boss 5, having a cylindrical bore or socket 6, of depth about equal to half the diameter of a shot or bullet of size to contact at its end point of greatest diameter, with the wall of said socket.

Projecting rearward from the said bridge portion of the elastic strip, is a vertical tab 1, occupying a vertical plane coinciding with that of the center of the socket. To complete the sling shot, a two-prong fork is employed, of any suitable material and form to engage the holes in the ends 2 of the strip. As shown, it has a stem or handle 8, from which the arms 9 branch outwardly and upwardly, and at th upper ends of said arms are spaced flanges l0 and II, to retain the ends of the elastic strip upon the portions I2 of the arms, lying between said flanges.

In use, the handle is firmly grasped by one hand and the tab by the thumb and index finger of the other hand, the projectile, of course, having been fitted in and lightly gripped all round by the socket wall. Stress is then applied to stretch the strip, and the operator sights over and in line with the said tab, it being noted that because the tab is vertical, it is not obscured by the thumb and finger engaging its opposite sides.

It has been determined that a relatively soft rubber is effective for holding a round object within a cylindrical socket proportioned to closely engage the object at its point of maximum diameter, and that an object so held by soft rubber, when forcibly expelled, will travel in a direct line without lateral deviation, and that the device forming the subject matter of this application, meets such specifications.

I claim:

A sling-shot, comprising a forked handle, a doubled elastic strip secured at its ends to the upper ends of the prongs of the handle, and provided midway its length and at the side facing toward the handle, with a forwardly-projecting boss of soft rubber, having a cylindrical 1ongitudinally-extending socket of diameter substantially corresponding to that of an object to be held within said socket, and a vertical tab, projecting rearwardly from the strip and standing in a vertical plane coincident with the longitudinal center of the socket.

WERNER G. DONALDSQN. 

